According to the Beds Are Burning Songfacts, Yuendemu in the line, "From Kintore East to Yuendemu," refers an aboriginal community in Central Australia, 250 Kilometers northwest of Alice Springs
It reached #1 in the South African charts, #3 in the Netherlands Top 40, #5 in the France Top 50, #6 in the United Kingdom charts, #11 in Ireland, #17 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and in Denmark.
It is one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.
It is named #95 on VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80s.
In May 2001, Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) celebrated its 75th anniversary by naming the Best Australian Songs of all time, as decided by a 100 strong industry panel. "Beds Are Burning" was declared third behind the Easybeats' "Friday on My Mind" and Daddy Cool's "Eagle Rock".
"Beds Are Burning" is a political song about giving native Australian lands back to the Pintupi, who were among the very last people to come in from the desert. These 'last contact' people began moving from the Gibson Desert to settlements and missions in the 1930s. More were forcibly moved during the 1950s and 1960s to the Papunya settlement. In 1981 they left to return to their own country and established the Kintore community which is nestled in the picturesque Kintore Ranges, surrounded by Mulga and Spinifex country. It is now a thriving little community with a population of about 400.
Midnight Oil performed the song in front of a world audience of billions (including then Prime Minister John Howard) at the closing ceremony of the 2000 Sydney Olympics. The whole band were dressed in black, with the words "sorry" printed conspicuously on their clothes. This was a reference to the Prime Minister's refusal to apologize, on behalf of the government of Australia, to the Aboriginal Australians for the way they have been treated over the previous 200 years, particularly in relation to native title and the government-sanctioned removal of Aboriginal children of the Stolen Generations from their families.
In 2004, the German Eurodance group Novaspace covered this song. In 2006, Pearl Jam covered the song as a tag to their hit song "Daughter" during the Australian leg of their tour, in the same year the French metalcore band Black Bomb A released their version of it on their album "One Sound Bite to React". In 2008, The Nightwatchman covered the song with Justin Sane and Chris #2 of Anti-Flag at the Sydney & Perth Big Day Out festival, and additionally Billy Bragg at the Adelaide Big Day Out festival in Australia. Also, Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde recently covered the song. Gyroscope played the song during the breakdown of their song, "Fast Girl", on their "The Australia Tour" in Aug-Oct 2008.
Former Concrete Blonde frontwoman Johnette Napolitano and Rachel Stamp guitarist Will Crewdson posted a version of the song on their mutual MySpace page in 2008. Their version is largely faithful to the original, the greatest differences being that in their version the chorus and bridge are less-densely orchestrated than the verses, and some small changes to the lyrics (for example, Napolitano replaces the line "To say fair's fair" with "to pay our share". She then repeats the line in its original place as well).
Beds Are Burning
Midnight Oil Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The bloodwood and the desert oak
Holden wrecks and boiling diesels
Steam at forty-five degrees
The time has come to say "Fair's fair"
To pay the rent, to pay our share
The time has come, a fact's a fact
How can we dance when our earth is turning?
How do we sleep while our beds are burning?
How can we dance when our earth is turning?
How do we sleep while our beds are burning?
The time has come to say "Fair's fair"
To pay the rent now, to pay our share
Four wheels scare the cockatoos
From Kintore, east to Yuendemu
The Western Desert lives and breathes
In forty-five degrees
The time has come to say "Fair's fair"
To pay the rent, to pay our share
The time has come, a fact's a fact
It belongs to them, let's give it back
How can we dance when our earth is turning?
How do we sleep while our beds are burning?
How can we dance when our earth is turning?
How do we sleep while our beds are burning?
The time has come to say "Fair's fair"
To pay the rent now, to pay our share
The time has come, a fact's a fact
It belongs to them, we're gonna give it back
How can we dance when our earth is turning?
How do we sleep while our beds are burning?
The lyrics to Midnight Oil's song "Beds Are Burning" are a call to action regarding the issue of land rights in Australia. The opening lines describe a desolate landscape, where the river has dried up and the only signs of life are the bloodwood and desert oak trees and the wreckage of Holden cars and overheated diesel engines. This setting is meant to symbolize the state of Australia's indigenous population, who have had their land taken from them and have been marginalized by the government and broader society.
The chorus of the song poses a series of questions, wondering how people can continue to go about their lives -- dancing, sleeping -- while the world around them is in upheaval. The answer, according to the song, is that they cannot; the time has come to acknowledge the injustice that has been done and to make amends.
Line by Line Meaning
Out where the river broke
At the location where the river runs dry.
The bloodwood and the desert oak
Indigenous trees are found in this area.
Holden wrecks and boiling diesels
Ruined automobiles and overheated engines litter the landscape.
Steam at forty-five degrees
Due to high temperatures, steam is constantly emitted.
The time has come to say "Fair's fair"
It's appropriate to act morally and justly.
To pay the rent, to pay our share
Indicates that the current state of affairs is unsatisfactory and a change is necessary.
The time has come, a fact's a fact
The present situation cannot continue as is.
It belongs to them, let's give it back
Returning the land to its rightful owners is proper and necessary.
How can we dance when our earth is turning?
The planet is in trouble and it's challenging to celebrate in this scenario.
How do we sleep while our beds are burning?
This is a desperate time; we cannot rest while such a crisis is occurring.
Four wheels scare the cockatoos
Wildlife is being affected by man-made machinery.
From Kintore, east to Yuendemu
The distance of impact is significant.
The Western Desert lives and breathes
This region has vitality and worth preserving.
In forty-five degrees
The temperature and climate conditions are harsh.
The time has come, a fact's a fact
This is an undeniable truth.
It belongs to them, we're gonna give it back
The rightful owners deserve to regain their property, and we will facilitate this process.
How can we dance when our earth is turning?
Reiterating that the state of the planet is dire and celebrating is difficult.
How do we sleep while our beds are burning?
This is a critical moment, and it's impossible to rest while the situation is in peril.
The time has come to say "Fair's fair"
Emphasizing once more the importance of just practices.
To pay the rent now, to pay our share
We must contribute fairly to the situation.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Martin Rotsey, Peter Gifford, Robert Hirst, James Moginie, Peter Garrett
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@iantebbutt186
Anyone listening to this in 2024?
@user-zo6gw8cl6p
I do great song 😂
@MixedMetalMedia
Yes me🎉
@Drift_x27
Yup
@_gr4280
me too 🎶🎶
@tiger7435
Me and still love it!
@jbg101
Well, here I am -- 52 years young
I grew up with this.
Such fantastic music and great to see young people also enjoying it
Keep the music playing !!!
@22bioshock
I’m 23 and enjoy this kind of music far more than today’s crap. Will keep this real music playing for sure
@user-uh5ye2vw9h
I'm older😊
@Burnzy321
Im 18 and love this music @@22bioshock